


Time

by JMount74



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: A little angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:22:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28732635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JMount74/pseuds/JMount74
Summary: Jeff’s only been home for a week and it’s strange for everyone
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [singmetothesun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/singmetothesun/gifts).



> This is written as a companion piece, a different point of view, to @singmetothesun’s A New Normal.

“Right, well,” Scott said, “I’ve got him, Dad. Goodnight.”

Jeff watched as his oldest gently steered his youngest son into his own bedroom and shut the door.

For a second he just stood there. He was torn in two, right through his heart. 

The rational man Jeff had always prided himself to be told him that they all would need time to adjust. He had not failed to see Scott’s awkwardness, nor had he missed Alan’s fumbling attempts to just talk to him. Jeff knew he was finding having other people around him just as hard.

But the emotional side of him was screaming at him from its’ cage inside his heart. He wanted to open that door, to sweep Alan up in a hug, to tell him ‘it’s ok, son, Daddy’s here.’

There was even a small part of him that wanted to shake his fist in Scott’s face and yell at him ‘I’m the parent, not you!’

‘I’m the parent, not you,’ was the thought that stopped him in his tracts. He wasn’t the parent anymore. He hadn’t been a parent, a present parent, for eight long years, and Scott had stepped up.

Scott was the parent now.

Scott was the parent. Again.

Jeff tried to chase the traitorous voice away, but it kept playing around his head until he was gasping for breath.

He had to get out of there. Blindly groping for the stick he had dropped in his panic, he almost fell down the stairs. He hadn’t realised he’d been walking while thinking, while panicking.

Suddenly a strong pair of hands were there, reaching for the cane, helping him stand. A hand cupped his cheek, wiping away tears he didn’t know were falling. He looked up into the understanding eyes of his mother.

Sally drew her son into a gentle hug. She had known that a breakdown would be on the cards, no-one could survive eight years alone and come back without issues, and she was acutely aware of just how much her grandsons had grown while their dad had been missing, especially the youngest.

‘Come on, son. Let’s go get a drink.’ She led him to the kitchen and grabbed some water - still not allowed caffeine yet- and they sat next to each other in silence. 

‘Jeff?’ He started out of his stupor. ‘It’s just like before,’ he whispered. Except it wasn’t. Before he’d been a grieving man unable to comprehend life without his wife and incapable of seeing his sons without seeing her. This time, this time had not been his choice. 

‘They don’t know how to react around me. Alan looks like he’s going to run away like a startled deer, even Scott’s a little uncomfortable.’ He sighed. He’d missed so much, now he felt that more keenly than ever. 

‘They’ll come around, and quicker than last time.’ ‘I know, Ma. It just hurts.’ Sally nodded. ‘It’s not a setback, it’s a changing of dynamics. Just have a little more patience. They’ve all missed you so much, it’s still new that you’re here.’

For us all, the thought echoed. Still, time was a great healer, giving courage to those who lent on her. And that’s what was needed by all now. 

Time.


End file.
